Picture Perfect
Taking a good photograph of a plant is often harder than it seems. Ever notice how just as you’re about to press the shutter, a breeze blows in out of nowhere? Photographer and wildlife educator Mike Dunn keeps a stake and a clothespin handy just for those moments. He plops the stake in the ground, then uses the clothespin to secure the stem or other part of the plant to the stake. A clever storebought tool for outdoor photography is the Plamp—it has an easy-to-position gooseneck arm that clamps onto a tripod at one end and grasps the object at the other. You can use it to “pose” your subject in the just the right position or to create that perfect backlit shot. The ideal time to photograph your garden is early morning and late afternoon—when the sun isn’t too bright—or on an overcast day. Flowers make good glamour shots, but don’t overlook the beauty and character of leaves, unfurling buds, seedpods and other plant parts.